Wonderful Things: Afternoon Tea, Busted Concert and more!

I was treated to an afternoon tea for two gift experience for Christmas which was super lovely and as I am a big foodie and a big tea and coffee drinker I was super excited to get it booked up. I went with a friend and we had the most amazing afternoon tea; with soup, hot crumpets, finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam and of-course lots of teeny tiny delicious sweet treats and hot beverages. Anyone that knows me well knows that anything ditsy and floral print is right up my street and the decor inside was just beautiful. It was such a lovely day, I would definitely recommend Jelly Pickle Jam if you are local to Evesham or are visiting.

I really like Yankee as a brand, but I just buy their sampler votive candles these days as it gives you a chance to see if you like the scent for just £2, rather than investing in a jar costing around £18. If I'm honest I've found that some Yankee scents aren't very strong and have been a bit of a let down, but not this one! Macaron Treats smells gorgeous and brightens my mood when its burning; it reminds me of times from when I was young - its just a lovely, sweet scent.

I love having false nails on my nails, it is probably one of favourite 'pamper me' type things to do. I've never been very good at growing my own nails, and after using false nails so much in the past, my nails are really weak and tend to break. I have given false nails a rest for a while so I can look after my own nails a little bit better. I was challenged recently to try the Renunail 3 Step Kit* out to see if my nails would strengthen in four Weeks. Included is their original Nail Strengthener, Nourishing Oil and their Nail Strengthener in pink. I've been using this kit for probably over five Weeks now, and I've noticed such a difference. You simply apply the Nail Strengthener every day for one Week, remove on the seventh day and then continue this pattern for the next three Weeks. Alhough my nails haven't grown all that much, they haven't broke and they do feel stronger and look in much better condition than before. I will be purchasing these products once they've run out as they have worked really well for me, so these have definitely been wonderful products for me this Month.

I am big Busted fan (13 year old Zoe was completely obsessed with them back in the day) and having seen them for the first time in over ten years last year on their comeback tour, of-course I had to buy tickets to the latest tour too. They were brilliant as always; we were standing this time and I always think its a much better atmosphere compared to seating. I think Busted will always have a big piece of my heart, regardless of what anyone else thinks, their music really makes me happy and reminds me of being young. I didn't take any photos while I was there, I try to enjoy the moment when I go to concerts (plus being a tiny 5'1 I can't really take any decent photos as I cant see the stage too much!) so here's a selfie of me wearing last Years tour t-shirt.

Time for a Tea Party

I love a good tea party. Ever since I was young, this was always what I wanted to do for my birthday. Rent a room out for a disco? No thanks. A cinema trip and a McDonalds? No again. I loved having people round for tea and cake, nothing has changed there. Any excuse for afternoon tea and I am all over it! I threw a little tea party recently; trying to make the most of the last of this weather, and had a lot of fun.

With GBBO hitting our TV screens recently, it inspired me to get a little gathering together and host a little tea party with a few sweet treats. I could have probably made some cakes myself but I was strapped for time. If I get some more free time next time I will definitely be getting my bake on and hoping my guests love whatever crazy concoction I make! (on second thoughts, maybe I should stick to buying them).

I absolutely love the beautiful party ware from Talking Tables. With a mix of products from two of their ranges; Truly Alice and Truly Scrumptious, they perfectly fit my tea party theme. Everything is such good quality and I'm so impressed with it all; in particular, the bunting and garland - so cute.

I can't decide which bunting is cuter - the lampshade garland or the floral fabric bunting?

How gorgeous are these paper cups and straws?! The pretty napkins are almost too cute to use, just look at the detail on them.

The BEST cake of them all. Coffee cake!

I love these cute Party Picks, they would be great for canapes.

These Cake domes make a perfect addition to any tea party, I just popped in some mini chocolate short bread bites in these but you could put pretty much anything little in these to make them look like a great showstopper at the table! They could even make great little gifts or favours.



Are you looking for cute partyware for a wedding, party or get together? I can't praise Talking Tables enough; they have a huge selection of products to choose from and something to suit pretty much any theme.

*includes PR samples*

Afernoon Tea at Bettys, York

Recently I visited York for the Day whilst I was up North visiting family. I have always loved afternoon tea and I am into anything like that, so we decided to head to Betty's.
You may have recently read my guest post from Georgina here, where she lists her favourite locations for afternoon tea in the UK. She included Betty's so I knew it must be a good place to go.

We chose afternoon tea for two, which consisted of; smoked salmon and cream cheese, roast Yorkshire ham, roast free-range chicken breast and egg mayonnaise & cress sandwiches, a sultana scone with strawberry preserve and Yorkshire clotted cream each, a selection of hand-crafted miniature cakes, and of-course a pot of Tea Room Blend tea. We also had a glass of homemade raspberry lemonade too as it was quite a warm Day, so we wanted a refreshing cold drink as well as tea. 

The food quite simply tasted amazing. Everything tasted fresh and I really enjoyed it all. The sandwiches were tasty, the cream tea was surprisingly filling and the strawberry preserve was sweet and delicious. The miniature cakes were really tasty too, and it was nice to have a selection of cakes to try. Next time I will definitely be bringing some cakes home with me.

If you love tea and cakes and enjoy afternoon tea, I think Bettys is a great place to go just for the experience. I probably wouldn't go too often as it is a real treat, but I would definitely recommend it for a nice day out. The staff are extremely friendly and the customer service really is fantastic. 

Themed Afternoon Teas in the UK

Themed afternoon teas in the UK

Hey everyone – Georgina here from Georgina Does. Lovely Zoe Has given me a guest posting spot here on her blog today so I thought I’d talk about something I love – Afternoon teas around the UK. A few I have been to myself, mostly in London but whenever I go on a trip in the UK the first thing I do is search out their best or most exciting afternoon tea.

The Afternoon Tea Tour Bus – London

This one is a little different to the others. You still have all lovely sandwiches and savouries, the scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, lots of delicious cakes and of course your choice of teas. But the difference is, you eat this afternoon tea whilst riding around London on a double decker, red tour bus.

It’s certainly an experience and you get to see all the important parts of London although all the movement of the bus makes pouring some milk into your tea, pretty stressful. Indulging is such rich foods, while gulping everything down to avoid it falling onto the floor could all add to the fun, but if you don’t have a strong stomach you should try to be careful as you might end up with indigestion. Be sure to take some Gaviscon with you, just in case!

Bettys – York

Bettys was founded by Frederick Belmont, a Swiss baker and confectioner who came to England in search of opportunities. He opened the first café in 1919 and since there five more have opened! They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner but are very well known for their afternoon tea which is why they have made this list! It’s a great place for traditional afternoon tea with the usual smoked salmon, egg and cress sandwiches etc followed by a warm scone and some delicious cakes. With each of the six Café having their own shop filled with tasty cakes so you can even take some home with you! Opt for pink champagne to add to the indulgence.

Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea – The Sanderson, London

This is a normal, sit down afternoon tea but again, it is totally different from all the others. Obviously themed around the mad hatter’s afternoon tea from Alice in Wonderland. You are served green and orange bread for your sandwiches. There is a delicious little bottle saying “drink me” and as you sip away you can taste the flavours change. But that’s all I’m giving away! There are lots of surprises to be had! Be sure to have a wander around the Sanderson hotel as well – it’s amazing.

Chocolate Afternoon Tea – Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire

Set out with beautiful views this afternoon tea is served in the Stoke park country club, hotel and spa. Similar to the usual afternoon tea but this one includes a selection of homemade Chocolate Cakes and Pastries as well as chocolate chip scones and Stoke Park's Ultimate Hot Chocolate. It’s a chocolate lovers dream!

Where is your favourite afternoon tea?